Broad Street studio eschews machines in favor of high-cardio classes.

Les Solomon grew tired of the aging equipment at a local fitness center where he worked as a cycling instructor.

So the retired textile worker decided to partner with his wife, Mindy, and open Studio Fitness in the old silk mill building at 683 E. Broad St., Bethlehem.

The 5,200-square-foot fitness hub doesn't offer traditional equipment such as treadmills, elliptical machines and other equipment. Instead there are three large rooms with a slew of classes to choose from. One room offers classes such as Zumba, ripped and piloxing. Another houses 15 Star Trac spinning cycles, and the other is used for yoga and one-on-one fitness training with a sea of apparatuses from free weights to punching bags.

Solomon, a longtime resident of Los Angeles who returned to the Valley years ago, says Studio Fitness is similar to workout centers you'd find in a city such as San Francisco.

The studio surely has the right urban flair with its tall loft ceilings, brick walls and earth-inspired green and black color theme.

The Valley has seen a lot of growth of fitness centers in recent years, with both big chains and niche centers setting up shop.

Studio Fitness' website: http://www.studiofitnesslv.com.

There could be yet another hotel on the horizon for Hamilton Boulevard in South Whitehall Township.

The former Burger King and Carvel properties recently were sold to a hotel developer.

Hotel Hamilton LLC purchased nearly 5 acres in the 3100 block of Hamilton Boulevard, bookended by Weis Markets and The King George Inn, according to William Plasha of Prudential Patt, the real estate firm involved in the sale.

Plasha said owners have not outlined plans for the property, but a principal of the group, Atul Patel, operates a few hotels in the region, including the Holiday Inn Express, a few blocks closer to nearby Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom amusement park.

Hamilton Boulevard is home to several hotels used by amusement parkgoers.

Gerald Harbison, South Whitehall's assistant community development director, said Hotel Hamilton had not filed any development plans with the township as of Wednesday.

Patel is CEO of HMB Management Inc., operator of several Holiday Inn and Hilton hotels in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In addition to the Holiday Inn Express in South Whitehall, the group operates the Holiday Inn Express on Kunkle Drive in Palmer Township.

Patel was not available for comment.

Burger King shuttered late last year, prompting a lot concern from readers anxious to see it reopen. The Hamilton Boulevard restaurant was at least three decades old.

The franchisee, RVD Inc., teased us with pieces of paper taped to the doors and windows saying "Temporarily closed. Will reopen ASAP."

Most Burger King signage was removed from the space weeks ago and its location was removed from Burger King's website.

Efforts to get any comment from the franchisee have been unsuccessful.

The highly anticipated Chipotle Mexican Grill opened at Lehigh Valley Mall a few days ago.

The fast and casual Mexican restaurant is at the former Corner Bakery space.

Chipotle is a Denver-based chain known for its burritos and assembly-line ordering.

This marks the first Chipotle for the Lehigh Valley. The chain helped make burritos and burrito bowls very popular in recent years, spurring a lot of merchants to peddle similar fare in the Valley.

Last week's column about the soot-covered facade of the Macy's department store at Lehigh Valley Mall prompted a voice mail from Randy Herbert, owner of Grime Fighters, a local facade cleaning service.

I forwarded Herbert a number for Macy's. Let's hope he scores the chance to make the building better.

Advance Auto Parts opened a store at 1841 S. Fourth St., Allentown — the latest in a string of openings in recent years. Such merchants are growing in the poor economy, building sales as consumers delay new car purchases.

Last year, Advance Auto Parts opened at the former CVS Pharmacy at 1001 Chestnut St., Emmaus. That marked the ninth local store for the Virginia-based chain.

The chain also opened a store at the former Hollywood Video building off MacArthur Road in August 2010. Chief competitor AutoZone also has been adding brick and mortar in recent years. AutoZone opened a store last year at the former Blockbuster video on Stefko Boulevard in Bethlehem. The chain also opened a store in October 2010 at the former Wendy's property on Route 22 in Phillipsburg.

AutoZone has at least 11 stores in the region.

Advance Auto Parts' new store will sit directly across from an AutoZone on the busy roadway. Compete much?

Meanwhile, Straus Discount Auto closed its last Valley store days ago as part of yet another bankruptcy filing for the New Jersey-based auto parts and service chain.

Strauss Auto filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last week, its third in less than six years, according to Bloomberg News.

This latest filing includes the closing of all 46 stores, which will be sold, according to the report.